Serge Zabbal on Innovating Distribution in the MENA Market
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
Release Date: 05/09/2024
Distributors on the Move: Insights from Europa Distribution's Groundbreaking Programme featuring Elin Boijens and Giulia Amadio
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
In this special episode, Alex Stolz is joined by Elin Boijens (Searchers, Netherlands) and Giulia Amadio (BIM Distribuzione, Italy), two participants in Distributors on the Move, Europa Distribution’s pioneering professional exchange programme. Together, they reflect on the transformative impact of spending time embedded within each other’s companies and exploring the day-to-day realities of film distribution in a different market. Giulia and Elin dive deep into the structural and strategic contrasts between the Italian and Benelux cinema landscapes—from differences in audience...
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Building a New Theatrical Marketplace featuring Jackie Brenneman
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
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Decentralising Distribution and Building the 'Shopify for Film' featuring Ana Maria Jipa and Malcolm Wood
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
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Community is the Audience: A New Approach to Independent Film Success featuring Shawn Dawes
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
"Community isn’t just the audience—it is the audience. And that shift in thinking is where real change begins." – Shawn Dawes In this episode of the Marketing and Distribution Podcast, Alex Stolz is joined by filmmaker, producer, and platform founder Shawn Dawes, the visionary behind IndieScene—a new SaaS-based platform aiming to transform the independent film ecosystem through transparency, data, and community collaboration. With over 20 years in the creative industries—ranging from directing and development to producing and distribution—Shawn has firsthand experience of...
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Navigating the Future of Screen Entertainment featuring Guy Bisson
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
In this episode, Alex Stolz is joined by Guy Bisson, Executive Director at Ampere Analysis, a leading firm in media and entertainment analytics. Guy brings over two decades of expertise in the global TV, film, and entertainment industries, offering unparalleled insights into the transformations reshaping content creation, distribution, and consumption. Together, they dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing today’s entertainment landscape. Guy explores the ongoing impact of streaming, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic boom and the Hollywood strikes. Guy...
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Creating Big Screen Experiences for Passionate Fanbases featuring Shannah Miller and Lynne Schmidt
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
"Our goal is to make every theatrical release feel like an event." Lynne Schmidt, SVP Operations and Strategic Partnerships Fathom Entertainment In this episode of the Marketing and Distribution Podcast, host Alex Stolz sits down with Shannah Miller, Vice President of Marketing, and Lynne Schmidt, Senior Vice President of Operations and Strategic Partnerships at Fathom Entertainment. Fathom has long been known as a leader in event cinema, bringing live performances, special screenings, and classic films to theaters worldwide. But as the theatrical landscape evolves, so has Fathom....
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The Future of VOD for Independents featuring Pierre-Alexandre Labelle
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
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Conic: the story of a new distribution company featuring Jen Davies and Graham Fulton
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
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The Data Behind Horror featuring Stephen Follows
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
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Harnessing AI in Hollywood with Tobias Queisser
The Marketing & Distribution Podcast
"Data and AI can increase risk taking" Tobias Queisser In this episode we are joined by Tobias Queisser, co-founder and CEO of Cinelytic, the AI-powered platform designed to optimise decision-making across film production and distribution. As perhaps the most controversial - and misunderstood - topic in film and entertainment at this time, AI is often portrayed as a creative destructor but Tobias shares why he believes the technology will actually unlock greater risk taking in the filmmaking process. In the conversation, Tobias discusses the genesis of CineLytic, the pain points...
info_outlineSerge Zabbal is Busines Director at Empire Entertainment, the 105 year old film production and distribution operation based out of Dubai. Focusing on the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa), Serge oversees all of Empire's English language and Arabic releases across the different markets. This includes the output of Sony Pictures Entertainment, as the studio's official partner for the region.
Having had diverse experiences across a multitude of industries for more than 15 years in the Middle East, Serge brings a fresh perspectuve and innovative approach to the film and entertainment space. As well as serving as the Sony Pictures Entertainment Theatrical lead for the MENA region, he also manages Empires’ growing initiatives in Production and Gaming, with a focus on serving the evolving needs of their consumers.
In a wide ranging conversation, we discuss the cultural and economic nuances of the MENA market, including a deeper dive into the current state of the Saudi cinema revolution. We also explore innovation in distribution and how Empire are staying on the front foot with younger audiences as well as their approach to data driven marketing and participation in the wider entertainment landscape of gaming.